Grading-machine.



C.- M. ANDERSEN.

GRADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30,1913- 1,182,520. Patented May 9, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WITNESSES:

.AAcWW.

11v VENTOR. G M/lwmszw C. NL-ANDEHSEN.

GRADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30, 1913.

Patented May 9, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 'IN VENTOR.

M/lmmsrm \N NN QN c. M. ANDERSEN.

GRADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30, I913.

Patented May 9, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 11v VENTOR. C MA/VDfHSE/Y.

W I TNESSES:

CHARLES ANDEBSEN, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

unwind-momma.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' PatentedMay 9, 1916..

Application filed becember 30, 1913. Serial No. 809,543.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that 1, CHARLES M. ANDERSEN, a citizen of the United- States, residing at 'Denver, in the countyof Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grading-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a grading machine and its object resides in the provision of a machine of simple and compact construction which When drawn along the surface of the ground, will, Without the aid of other appliances, produce in one operation a level road- I surface of any desired slope.

In accordance with my invention I provide a carrier composed of a frame which at its forward end is supported upon a universally 4 movable wheeled axle, and at its opposite end scraping element, and-the road thus formed upon a heavyroad-roller. Between the axle and the roller'are mounted in successive order, a grading element which loosens and distributes the upper strata of the ground along which the vehicle is propelled, and a scraper element which is intended to scrape and transfer the earth loosened by the first element, so as to present a level surface which subsequently is compacted by the roller at the rear end of the frame.

The grading device which constitutes the principal element of my invention, is composed of a vertically adjustable frame provided with a plurality of colters which by their peculiar form and arrangement are adapted to loosen, pulverize and evenly dise tribute the earth when dragged through the upper portion of the ground along which the vehicle is propelled, and the other element consists of a scraper which is adjustable within determinate limits to selected angles with relation to the horizontal and to the longitudinal axis of the machine, and which furthermore can be raised or lowered either above the surface of the ground or to any desired depth beneath the same.

In the operation of the machine the ground along which it is drawn by draft animals hitched at the front end of the frame, is broken and evenly distributed by the grading element, the loosened earth is subsequently transferred to fill hollows and to provide a level surface of any desired slope by the is compacted by the pressure of the roller at the rear end of the machme. In case the ground is loose or sandy, the services of the grading element may be dispensed with by raising the same above the surface of the ground, and by a similar adjustment of the scraper, the machine may if so desired, be used to only roll the surface of the ground when the condition thereof renders the grading and scraping actions unnecessary.

The universal connection of the wheeled axle with the frame of the machine at the front end thereof makes it possible to operate the same in any desired direction and along rough and unbroken surfaces without danger of breaking or unduly straining its operative parts, and the peculiar character of the adjustments of the scraping and grading elements and of the mechanisms provided to effect the same, render the operation of the simple and effective under all in detail by reference to the accompanying drawings in the various views of which like parts are similarly designated, and in which, Figure 1 is a planview of the grading machine, Fig. 2, a longitudinal, vertical section taken along the line 2-2, Fig. 1, Fig. 3, a transverse section along the line 3-3, Fig. 1, Fig. 4, a fragmentary section along the line 4-4, Fig. 1, Fig. 5, an elevation of one of the colters included in the constructionof the grading element of the machine, in its operative position on the frame of the same, Fig. 6, a section taken along the line 66, Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 a section along the line 3- -7,

Fig. 2, v I v eferring more specifically to the drawallel'relation to the sills for the support of the operative parts of the machine, as will hereinafter be more fully described.

'An upright shaft 6 is rotatably mounted at the front end of the" machine in email alined bearing sleeves land 8 one of which is secured between the connected ends of the sills while the other one is formed at theend of a brace 9 which isfixedly secured to the frame. A flat, upright member 10 secured to the shaft 6 forward of the frame, serves to provide means for the attachment of the harness of the draft animals by the use. of a clevis 12 and an arm 13 to which in practice, a double-tree is attached. The shaft carries at its lower extremity, an axle 14 which is -pivotally connected therewith by means of a olt 15, and at the opposite ends of which, wheels 16 are rotatablymounted to movably wheel in directing the course of the vehicle along the surface over which it is drawn by animals attached to the member 10', by the means hereinbefore described, and to a pole 17 which is pivotally connected with the axle as shown at 18in Fig. 2.)

The principalvoperative element of the machine by which the ground is loosened,

pulverized ,and distributed, is mounted at the front end of the frame'2 and consists of a frame 19 which being made in conformity with the front portion of the main frame is composed of side bars 20 connected by crossbars 21 and formed convergently at their forward ends, at which they are secured toether. The frame 19 carries a series of ownwardly extending colters 22- which are adjustably secured to the different parts of which it is composed by means of clamps 23 which as best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, consist of two members connected by bolts, and formed to receive and clampingly secure between them the angular shanks 24 of the colters. g The Working parts 25 of the colters consist of spear-shaped lades for-med integral and at substantially right-angles to their respective shanks, and having their upper ed with the upper end of a hanger 32 at the p surfaces composed of two faces which slant downwardly from a central, longitudinal ridge for the purpose of deflecting rocks and other obstructions encountere ground through which theyare dragged in the operation of the machine, and of distributing the loosened earth.

The grading element-is suspended from the frame of the machine through the instrumentality of a rocker shaft 26 which is supported on standards 27 onithe said frame, and whichis provided with a central, forwardly extending crank arm 28 and two oppositely projecting arms 29 disposed at opposite sides thereof.

A lever 30. fulcrumed in a bearing 31 on the frame is slotted at one of its ends for its pivotal connection with the crankarm,

28. Its opposite arm is pivotally connects frontend of the frame 19 and it is formed integral with a hand-lever 33 by means of the which is moved. about. its fulcrum and c which is provided with the usual spring-Q controlled pawl for securing it in its adjust-j ed position on a toothed segment 34.

The grading element issuspended at its frame 19 during the operation of the grading element, a lever 38 is fulcrumed on the frame 2 and provided at its lower end with curved arms 39 adapted to frictionally engage the upper surface of the frame 19 and thereby prevent or limit its upward movement. The grading element is furthermore held against lateral deflection by means ofpairs of flat bars 40 which are secured at rear end' from the crank arm29 by means of hangers'35' which at their upper ends are their lower ends to the frame 19, and which v slidably engage the inner and outer surfaces of the sills of the main frame. To further guide the grading element while it is being raised or lowered the frame'19 is provided at its front end with a pair of axially alined sleeves formed at the ends of forwardly projecting arms 41 and 42 to receive the before-mentioned shaft 6 at the forward end i of the machine. V y

The colters are arranged on the frame 19 in divergent order from the forward end of the same so that the ground through which they are dragged, is loosened gradually and distributed over the width of the road to be formed. I

The second element of the machine whose function is to scrape and transfer the loosened and distributed earth so as to produce 1 a level, and if sodesired, sloping surface, consists of a transversely curved scraperblade 43 which extends transversely below the frame 3 of the carriage. The blade is fixedly secured on a fifth wheel 44 which is mounted to rotate about a vertical axis on, -a circular support 45 of corresponding'diameter suspended from the frame, and with which it is connected by means of lugs 46 formed at its periphery to embrace the peripheral edge of the support. A hand: le-

ver 47 fulcrumed in a bearing 48 on one side of the carriage frame is connected by means of a pitman 49 with'a downwardly projecting wrist-pin 50 onthe wheel 44,

and thus may be used to vary the angular position of the cutting edge of the blade with relation to the longitudinal axis of the machine. The support 45 is provided with a sleeve 51 by means of which it is slidably and tiltably guided for its adjustment to raise and lower the blade or to vary the angle of the cutting edge of the same with reshaft 57 which isrotatably supported in boxes 58' mounted on standards 59. on the frame 2, and by means of a thirdv hanger 60, from an arm of a lever 61 which is fulcrumed on the frame as at'62, and whose I the scraper extends with relation to the lonopposite slotted arm has a pivotal connection with a crank arm'55 whichis mounted intermediate of thefirst-m'entioned arms 56 on the shaft 57. A'hand-lever 63 formed integral with the lever 61' serves for the adj ustment of the position of the. same by moving it about its fulcrum, and it has the usual pawl whereby it issecured in its adjusted positions on a segment 64. Counterpoises 65 slidably mounted onarms' 66 which may be made integral with the crank arms 56, are

applied for the usual purpose. Theboxes 58in which the shaft 57 is supported, are slidably mounted for vertical adjustment in the standards 59. They are supported uponv the short arms 67 of angular levers 68 which 7 are fulcrumed as at-69 on the before-mew tioned standards 59 and which by pawls are held in their adjusted positions on segments 70'. i i

It will be vunderstood from the above description that by adjustment of thelever 47, a partial rotation may be imparted to the wheel 44 for changing the angle at which gitudin'al axis of the machine, that bymanipulation of one or both of the levers' 68, the shaft 57 can be tilted to vary the angle of the lower or cutting edge of the. blade,

relative to the horizontal, and that by the use of the lever 63, theentire blade may be raised or lowered in accordance to the amount of dirt it is desired to transfer, or

the extent to which the surface of the road is to be lowered. I p

It will thus be. seen thatafter the ground has been loosened and distributed by the pe-' culiar'action of the colte'rs on the grading element, the loosened earth is by meansof the scraper, transferred and leveled to provide a road surface'of any desired slope or elevation within determinate limits, it being understood that the angle of the slope is determined by the angular position of the cutting edge of the scraper-blade with relation to the horizontal, and that thewidth of the same is varied in accordance with the oblique position of the blade relative to the longitudinal axis of the machine. A road roller 71 which for convenience may be composed of two or more axially alined motions, supports the frame of the machine at its rear end, its shaft 72 being rotatably mount- To adjust'the support 45, as above ed in bearings 73 which are secured beneath the frame 2. After the earth loosened and distributed by the grading element, has been transferred and leveled to the desired slant by the scraper, the roller will by its pressure compact the same, and thereby finishes the road. I

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a grading machine, the combination with at wheel-supported carrier, of a rocker shaft rotatably mounted thereon, 'crank arms on saidshaft, a lever fulcrumed on said carrier and having oppositely extending arms, one of the arms of the lever having a pivotal connection with one of the said crank-arms on said shaft, means for securing said lever in selected position within determinate limits, and a grading element suspended from the other: arm of said lever and from another crank-arm on said shaft, and capable of working the ground over. which the carrier is propelled.

2. In a grading machine, the combination with a wheel-supported carrier, of a air of boxes verticall v movably' mounted ereon,

a shaft rotata ly supported-in said boxes, v

"means :for raising or lowering said boxes separately to vary the inclination of. said shaft, crank-arms on said shaft, means for adjusting the position of said arms by moving the shaft about its axis, and a scraperblade suspended from said arms and capable of working the ground over which the carrier "is propelled,

3,111 a grading machine, the combination with awheel-supported carrier, of'a pan of boxes 'vertically -movably mounted thereon,

'a shaftfrotatably supported in said boxes,

means, for raising or loweringsaid boxes separatelymto vary the inclmation of said shaft, crankfarms onsaid'shaft, a lever. fu1- crumed'on the carrier and having oppos tely extending arms, one of the arms of the lever having a pivotal connection with one of said crank-arms, means. for securing said lever in selected positions within determinate limits,

and a scraper blade capable of working the.

ground over which the carrier is propelled, suspended from the other arm of said lever and from another one of said crank-arms.

4. In a grading machine, the combination witha wheel-supported carrier, of a pair of boxes vertically movably mounted thereon,

a shaft rotatably supported-in said boxes,

means for raising or lowering said boxes separately to vary the inclination of said shaft, crank-arms on said shaft, a lever fulcrumed on the carrier and'h'aving oppositely extending arms, one of the arms of the lever having a pivotal connection with one of said crank-arms, means for securing said lever in selected positions within determinate limits, a support suspended from the other arm of said lever and from another crank-arm on I In testimony 'w hei eof I-have aflixed my said shaft, 5, scaper blade capable of Worksignature in presenoe oftwo witnesses. ing the groun over.which the carrier is propelled, rotatably mounted on said sup- E i E port, and means for the adjustment of said Witnesses: blade on saidsupport by moving it about its G. J. ROLLANDET, axis of rotation. I L. RHOADES. 

